outdated procedures may have increased the risk of cross-contamination amongst his patients. for one, they say, he didn't clean his instruments properly. authorities say he bleached some instruments, which over time can cause them to become porous. some of the equipment was rusty. authorities say he routinely reused needles and vials. some of his medications were 20 years past their expiry date. we reached out to him, but his office is closed. he did not return calls. while state officials are stressing it's unlikely the infection has spread widely, they want to be sure. the federal centers for disease control are assisting in the investigation. david wright, abc news, los angeles. >> and i want to bring in abc's chief medical editor, dr. richard besser now. because 7,000 people, what does that say about scope, severity? >> well, this is absolutely unbelievable, if these allegations are true. i talked to the cdc today, and with the millions of people who see the dentist every year,

there's only been a handful of infections transmitted over the past 20 years. a member of the team who went in could not believe what she saw in this dentist office. >> tell us the red flags for somebody going to the dentist tomorrow morning. >> first thing, ask your dentist what they do to prevent infections. but there are a couple red flags. if you ever see old or rusty instruments that's a warning sign because it's so hard to clean them. another is, if your dentist isn't wearing gloves or changing gloves between patients, that's another red flag, time to find another dentist. >> a developing story. we'll continue to follow it. rich besser saying it's unbelievable tonight. thank you. and we move on next to news today on gun violence. 104 days after the shooting in newtown, connecticut. today the president called for change, surrounded by families of murdered children. among them, families from newtown, who learned today that the shooter, adam lanza, gunned down 20 children in under five minutes. here's abc's white house correspondent jim avila.

>> reporter: until today these brutal facts were sealed by the court. gunman adam lanza was not a teenager. he was 20 years old. he fired 154 shots in two, not as some originally reported, three newtown classrooms. five search warrants reveal today he did not wear a bullet-proof vest. only military-style clothing. his bushmaster semiautomatic rifle was accessorized with 30-round magazines, giving him access to thousands of rounds. at home where lanza lived with his mother, the police search found two nra certificates in the names of nancy and adam lanza, even though the nra vehemently denies they were members. nine knives, three swords, and a bb gun. a holiday card from his mother containing an uncashed check to buy a new gun. and also revealed today, testimony from an unknown neighbor that lanza spent lots of time in his basement, playing violent video games.

>> every detail that i hear about that day is painful. so i prefer to focus less on what was found in the house and the car, and more on what we can do to make changes so this doesn't happen again in the future. >> reporter: across the country today from san francisco to newtown, demonstrations calling on congress to take action. new york mayor michael bloomberg, releasing $12 million in new tv commercials today, calling for new gun laws. this time featuring newtown families. >> she just wanted to teach little kids. that was her goal, and she died doing it. wonderful. >> reporter: and at the white house, an emotional east room. tears and presidential hugs for victims of gun crime from places like newtown, virginia tech, and chicago. president obama, unusually passionate and appearing concerned that momentum for gun reform has stalled on capitol hill. >> shame on us if we've forgotten. i haven't forgotten those kids.

>> reporter: the president promising to keep the pressure on congress to pass background checks and to at least take a vote on banning assault weapons. the president pleading with congress, not to, quote, get squishy. >> thank you, jim. i want everyone at home to know that today i sat down with someone you may remember, the brave and incredibly moving teacher who rushed those 15 first grade students into a tiny bathroom, protecting them, whispering, i love you, as lanza tore through their school, firing his gun. next week, she'll tell you about a surprising new chapter for kaitlin roig and right here on "world news." coming up now, the latest on the collapsing earth on the small island off the coast of washington state, that massive landslide, a quarter mile wide. small landslides still shifting across town. residents told our neal karlinsky, they're trying to decide what to do.

>> we were going to put the house up for sale next week. >> it could be months, we are told, before there's any certainty for the residents there. and now we bring you some late news, reports that a u.s. army veteran from phoenix, arizona, is under arrest tonight and charged with joining forces with al qaeda, taking up arms in syria. who could this man be? abc's david kerley has that. >> reporter: eric haroon made no secret of what he was doing in syria. he posted it on facebook. >> helicopter shot down! >> reporter: the former u.s. army soldier who served between 2000 and 2003 was fighting against the syrian regime. but he was fighting with a group the u.s. considers terrorists. >> [ bleep ]. >> reporter: the phoenix man entered syria in january and he quickly linked up with al qaeda in iraq. u.s. officials interviewed him more than once when he returned

to turkey to acquire weapons. according to the complaint filed against him, he admitted he was involved in several battles. but yesterday when he flew here to the washington, d.c. area, fbi agents arrested him at the airport. today he was in court. >> bashar al assad, your days are numbered. >> reporter: he told fbi agents he was part of a rpg team, rocket propelled grenade and knew the group he was with was designated as terrorists. tonight the charges against him, using that rpg, which the government called a weapon of mass destruction, outside the united states. david kerley, abc news, washington. and also overseas, another chess move in the duel with north korea overnight, the u.s. flexing its muscle and sending stealth bombers into the backyard of the mysterious nation. and tonight, the north korean news agency, says they are, quote, burning with hatred over this latest move, and abc's martha raddatz has the story.

>> reporter: if north korea had any doubt that the u.s. would defend its ally south korea, this rare show of force should end it. the two, massive b-2's soared 6,500 miles from missouri to drop dummy weapons on a bombing range west of south korea and less than 50 miles from the north korean border. and then flew back to the u.s. it was the first time the u.s. military has confirmed a b-2 practice mission, but the message was clear. the b-2 is capable of dropping 16 nuclear bombs, each on a different target. it can fly under any weather conditions, penetrating sophisticated air defenses with its radar evading stealth skin. >> we will unequivocally defend and we are unequivocally committed to that alliance with south korea. and we will be prepared, if we have to be prepared, to deal with any eventuality there. >> reporter: since february when

the u.s. and south korea began gearing up for military exercises, north korea steadily escalated its threat, a page from its playbook, only this time those threats have been hotter, including nuclear strikes, which they are not yet capable of. the u.s. says the stealth bombers were not meant to ratchet up the tension with north korea, but that is exactly what has happened. diane? >> thanks so much, martha. now we go to south africa, where the crusader against apartheid, nelson mandela, now 94, has been hospitalized for the third time in four months because of a recurring lung infection. we saw him last month cradling his great grandson. we're told he is responding to treatment tonight. and in rome, an ancient tradition on this holy thursday. pope francis reenacting a famous bible passage in which jesus washes the feet of his disciples

before the last supper. today pope francis chose 12 young inmates at a juvenile detention center. ten men, two women. in the past, popes have washed the feet of fellow priests, all men. pope francis called today a gesture of love and service. and still ahead on "world news," we help a woman save $18,000 in medical bills. ♪ hallelujah >> it is real money, coming up next. see life in the best light. outdoors, or in. automatically filter amount of light. the way it's meant to be seen. maybe even a little better. experience life well lit, adaptive lenses. vision center today transitions xtractive lenses enhance your vision. save money. live better.

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the question is how do you make sure you have the money you need to enjoy all of these years. ♪ tonight "world news" is back with real ways to put money in your pocket right now. and tonight on big medical bills. we asked abc's paula faris, to see what she could do. ♪ at last >> reporter: joyce ann huston has been a musician her entire life. even has her own wall of fame. just last night she was on stage, but today, she's paying for it. like millions of americans, joyce has a chronic medical condition. hers is lupus. she preps her body for days before performing. her music is her only escape, and it's how she pays the bills. she still owes $25,000 from her original diagnosis, and new

bills from her ongoing care are mounting. financially, where are you right now? >> in the hole. i could end up losing my house. >> reporter: what joyce and millions of others didn't realize is that over half of the nation's hospitals -- the nonprofits -- have money that they're required to give back to the community often through what's called patient assistance programs. health care advocate michelle katz says it's hidden money that too many people don't know about. >> reporter: i don't think most people know. >> but they're required because they're receiving so many tax exemptions. >> that's nonprofit. >> reporter: michelle says anyone with huge bills may qualify, even if you have insurance. but you have to ask for it. non-profit hospitals are required to publicize their policies on assistance programs. but, one study of 100 hospitals showed nearly half didn't mention it on their website. and, almost 70% didn't tell you how to qualify when you called. with the help of the colors of lupus foundation in nevada, we went after some of that money for joyce. it took weeks of phone calls to

her hospital to cut through the red tape. >> you should understand, if they announce it openly, everyone would be flooding, right? it's just a matter of negotiation. knowing that it's there and not being afraid to ask for it. >> reporter: the result? her $25,000 hospital bill, now, just $7,000. >> i'm just shocked you all were able to do that. >> reporter: looks like your house is safe. you were worried about that. >> i didn't know how i was going to make it through. can i hug you? >> reporter: and today, after saving 18,000 on her medical bill, joyce is singing a much different tune. ♪ hallelujah >> so nice to hear. the hospital's first offer was not their final offer. you saw joyce did benefit from having an advocate. but it's important to note you can do this on your own. there's a check list on our website and our expert is on twitter right now, armed and ready to take your questions. >> she is so good. and i love that hallelujah chorus. great to have you back in action tonight, paula.

>> thanks. >> and if the story helps you in any way, i hope you'll let us know on twitter, using #my world news story. coming up next here, new clues in one of the holiest mysteries. is the shroud of turin an image of jesus? see what's new in our instant index. bp has paid over twenty-three billion dollars to help people and businesses who were affected, and to cover cleanup costs. today, the beaches and gulf are open for everyone to enjoy -- and many areas are reporting their best tourism seasons in years. we've shared what we've learned with governments and across the industry so we can all produce energy more safely. i want you to know, there's another commitment bp takes just as seriously: our commitment to america. bp supports nearly two-hundred-fifty thousand jobs in communities across the country. we hired three thousand people just last year.

bp invests more in america than in any other country. in fact, over the last five years, no other energy company has invested more in the us than bp. we're working to fuel america for generations to come. today, our commitment to the gulf, and to america, has never been stronger. if you have high cholesterol, here's some information that may be worth looking into. in a clinical trial versus lipitor, crestor got more high-risk patients' bad cholesterol to a goal of under 100. getting to goal is important, especially if you have high cholesterol plus any of these risk factors because you could be at increased risk for plaque buildup in your arteries over time. and that's why when diet and exercise alone aren't enough to lower cholesterol i prescribe crestor. [ female announcer ] crestor is not right for everyone. like people with liver disease or women who are nursing, pregnant or may become pregnant. tell your doctor about other medicines you're taking. call your doctor right away

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heard his dog howling, ran downstairs, locked eyes with a black bear in his living room. he grabbed his dog, bolted himself in an upstairs bedroom. and called 911. as he waited, he saw another bear in the backyard. authorities came to chase them off. but there was a clue left in the kitchen, half eaten chinese food. they think the bear smelled it through an open window and decided to swing by for lunch. now a window to our planet 400 years ago. this looks like a regular egg, but look again. it's 100 times bigger than the eggs in your refrigerator and one foot tall, nine inches wide, believed to be the egg of an extinct elephant bird, a kind of oversized ostrich, ten feet tall, weighing half a ton, a giant that feasted on plants. it's believed to be the largest egg ever laid on earth, even bigger than the dinosaur eggs in jurassic park.

it's going on auction at christie's next month. n and on this holy thursday, news about the shroud of turin. the linen cloth bearing the image of a man with wounds of crucifixion. for years the faithful have debated, are they the images are jesus? today scientists from northern italy have announced they used infrared light and radiation wave length and they think it proves the cloth dates back to the time of christ's death, 2,000 years ago, between 300 bc and 300 ad. they also found traces of dust and pollen from the holy land. the intriguing mystery deepens. and coming up next right here, the baby gorilla abandoned by her mother. you'll meet the team of humans learning motherly love, gorilla style, including our own matt gutman, next. it's part of what you love about her. but your erectile dysfunction - you know, that could be a question of blood flow.

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and finally tonight, come spend some time with our favorite modern american family. we told you about the tiny gorilla whose mother rejected her and the humans who took over. tonight abc's matt gutman becomes a fully furry surrogate mom. >> reporter: in the zoological world, this is cause for celebration. >> she just peed on me. >> reporter: because when gladys's gorilla mother rejected her last month, there was a chance she wouldn't make it. >> we're going to have to change into some scrubs, matt. black scrubs for that matter cause it simulates a gorilla's skin color. >> reporter: in stepped less hairy apes. ron evans and his team of ten surrogate gorilla moms, who would nurse, cradle, teach, and

mother this gorilla for three months before sending her to a real gorilla mom. inside gladys' room evans' teaches me how to be a surrogate. the only way gladys's new gorilla family will accept her is if humans can teach her to become a gorilla. >> and you don't coo to baby gorillas no talk to them like this. i always use a gorilla accent when i talk to gladys so the first time i see her i talk to her like -- gladys! >> reporter: all the surrogates wear faux fur. >> that looks more like a sheep's suit. are we training lambs here? >> reporter: careful not to baby this baby. you're yanking the hair. >> i'm yanking the hair. i'm putting my finger nails in her head and even when she's awake she doesn't mind because they're tough. >> reporter: all of this, the stretching. the grabbing. >> these hands are so strong. >> reporter: the piggy back rides mimic the activity of real gorillas.

the goal is to match gladys who was born at a texas zoo with a gorilla mother here in cincinnati. but, there's a chance this elaborate experiment might not work. >> the day she goes in with a gorilla mom is the day i'm going to be happiest. there won't be a dry eye in the place. >> reporter: and as every parent learns, sometimes success means letting go. matt gutman, abc news, cincinnati. >> it's love. and we thank you for watching. abcnews.com is there and so is "nightline" tonight. we'll see you back here tomorrow. goodnight.

tonight a gloomy weather report from the high searera. a spring forecast and summer water outlook after what is now the driest winter on record. >> gunfire in the streets of richmond wounds a 1-year-old child. we're live on this national day of action. >> california law enforcement puts out the call tonight for a tough new standard on drivers and drugs. it could land you in jail, even if you're not high. >> and from abc 7 news i team, one family's fight to stop local officials from forcing them out of their homes.

>> the most-important snow survey of the season taken today. it came up way short. what started out as a wet winter turned into the driest first three months of any year on record. good evening this, dry spell on the heels of a drought last year raising concerns about our water supply this summer and beyond. we are live from along the sacramento river with the impact on this lack of rain. >> don't let rivers fool you. water levels appear high, but the facet has shut off, almost entirely. >> dry winter. >> the latest snow survey delivered some bad news. the state wide snow pack is just a52% of average for this date. a disappointment considering the storm held such promise for winter season. >> it's been a tale of two

winters started out november, december, very wet z from january, to now, we've, we're about the driest we've been. >> when you also compare rainfall for first three months of the year, california is on track to shatter the record low. 1932 was bad, 1988 beat that, just nine inches but this january through march shaping up to be the driest, five and a half inch was only three days left in the month to go. most reservoirs in the northern part staift are at, or above average thanks to storms. they'll fill you will more as snow pack melts. >> runnoff about 55% to 70% of average. >> the central and southern sierras didn't have as much. >> we're looking at 20% to 30% of average. >> it will be tough to deliver more water north to south, not only because there is less

supply but also, because of the fragile sacramento dealta, still under court order restricting pumping to protect the eco system. so look for california farmers to plant less this season. >> there will be thousands of acres of land not planted. >> water planners have been pushing to build more dam autos nobody wants to pay for building the dam but they want to build and want someone tols pay costs. >> also looking for a message of conservation incoming months in case next wint jer dry, we'll have to save water from this year. live along the sacramento river abc 7 news. >> thank you. there is one more snow pack reading still to come it's not likely to show improvement. abc 7 news is here now, what is the outlook for the next 30 days or so. >> you can see nothing falling here now.